Intersection crashes can result in serious injuries on Michigan roads. Whether a crash involves a red-light runner, a failure to yield, or a left-turn collision, the legal and insurance questions that follow depend on the specific facts and applicable Michigan law.

Intersection Crashes Are a State Traffic Safety Priority

Michigan State Police identifies intersection crashes as one of its Governor’s Traffic Safety Advisory Commission emphasis areas. According to the Michigan State Police 2024/2025 Year End Comparison, intersection crashes are specifically listed as a GTSAC focus alongside older driver crashes, young driver crashes, lane departure crashes, and crashes involving children.

What Michigan Law Requires at Intersections

Michigan’s Vehicle Code establishes specific duties for drivers at intersections. Under MCL 257.612, drivers facing a green signal may proceed but must yield to other vehicles and pedestrians lawfully in the intersection. Drivers facing a red signal must stop and remain stopped until a green signal is shown.

Under MCL 257.650, a driver intending to turn left within an intersection must yield the right of way to approaching vehicles that are already within the intersection or close enough to constitute an immediate hazard.

Under MCL 257.649, drivers approaching a stop sign must stop and follow the applicable right-of-way requirements before proceeding through the intersection.

Violations of these requirements are civil infractions. When a violation contributes to a crash that injures another person, it may also be relevant to a civil negligence claim.

What Evidence May Matter After an Intersection Crash

Intersection crashes often involve disputed facts about vehicle speeds, signal states, and driver positions at the moment of impact. Evidence that may be relevant includes the police crash report, witness statements, photographs of the scene, dash cam footage, and surveillance video from nearby businesses or residences.

A police crash report documents the responding officer’s observations and assigned hazardous actions, but it does not constitute a final determination of civil liability. According to the Michigan State Police Traffic Crash Reporting Unit, crash reports reflect the officer’s best judgment based on available information. Preserving evidence early can help establish how the crash occurred.

How No-Fault Benefits and Injury Claims May Apply

Michigan’s no-fault system may provide eligible injured people with PIP benefits for medical expenses, wage loss, and certain other losses without regard to who caused the collision. Under MCL 500.3107, PIP benefits may include allowable expenses for reasonably necessary medical care and rehabilitation.

When injuries meet Michigan’s serious impairment threshold under MCL 500.3135, an injured person may also have grounds to pursue a claim against an at-fault driver for noneconomic damages such as pain and suffering. Whether a specific injury meets that threshold depends on the facts, including the nature and extent of the impairment and its effect on the injured person’s daily life.

An attorney can evaluate the available evidence and help determine what legal options may exist after an intersection crash.

If you were injured in an intersection crash in Macomb, Wayne, or Oakland County, our team may be able to help. To speak with a Michigan personal injury attorney, contact us today.

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